Infographic: Yazidi persecution spans centuries
The Yazidi are an enigmatic group that practice Yazidism, an ancient religion in Kurdistan. One of the most persecuted religious minorities in the Middle East, the Yazidi have relocated extensively throughout the Middle East and Europe because of constant discrimination.
Islamic State militants (also known as ISIS or ISIL), have recently "massacred" members of Iraq's Yazidi minority, according to Kurdish officials. The Islamic State has provided the group a stark choice: Convert or face death.
The Yazidi are an enigmatic group that practice Yazidism, an ancient religion in Kurdistan. One of the most persecuted religious minorities in the Middle East, the Yazidi have relocated extensively throughout the Middle East and Europe because of constant discrimination.
Their history is poorly documented because traditions and culture have been passed down orally over many generations. Sebastian Maisel, an author and professor of Arabic and Middle East Studies at Grand Valley State University in Allendale, Mich., has traced the migration of the Yazidi community from the 12th century to today.
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